The quartet of Laurie Canter (Saltford, Somerset), Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire), Jack Senior (Heysham, Lancashire) and Andrew Sullivan (Nuneaton, Warwickshire) finished the 72-hole stroke play event, in which the best three cards each day counted, on 852, 12 under par, two strokes clear of France with Spain third on 855.

On an opening day of tricky winds, England finished in seventh place on level par 216, five behind leaders France after 71s from Canter and Senior and 74 by Lewis.

But Lewis’s 67 allied to 70 from Canter and 71 from Sullivan hoisted England into top spot, a stroke ahead of Spain on day two, a position they never relinquished.

They increased their advantage to seven shots from France on the third day thanks to 67 by Sullivan and 71s from Canter and Senior.

Like the first day, the final round also proved difficult with Canter, Senior (picture © Tom Ward) and Sullivan all shooting 73, which just proved enough to stay two shots ahead of the French and give English a third successive title.

“The boys found it tough going at times and they had to work for the victory,” admitted team manager Terry Casey. “But we are delighted to win again as narrow as the margin might be. We had the team to do it and the boys pulled for each other. But it is tricky holding on to a lead over a tricky course with some tough pin positions. Nevertheless, the boys ground it out and we take great pride in the win.”

The individual title eluded the players. That went to Julien Brun of France on 281, seven under par, and four shots ahead of the leading Englishman, Canter, who finished joint third.

Leading final scores:
852 England (L Canter 71 70 71 73, T Lewis 74 67, J Senior 71 71 73, A Sullivan 71 67 73);
854 France;
855 Spain;
864 Scotland (R Kellett 69 68 76 73, M Stewart 75 73 68, P McLean 70 77 74, K Nicol 73 68);
870 Ireland (P Cutler 72 72 79 72, A Dunbar 71 76, R Leonard 76 67, D McElroy 69 71 69 76), Denmark;
871 Italy;
874 Wales (O Farr 72 73 73 73, R Enoch 70 74, J Frazer 75 74 69, R Pugh 76 74 71)

Individual:
281 J Brun (Fra) 68 71 75 67;
284 L Nemecz (Aut) 69 70 70 75;
285 L Canter (Eng) 71 70 71 73, D McElroy (Ire) 69 71 69 76;
286 J F Sarasti (Spa) 69 80 67 70, A Sullivan (Eng) 75 71 67 73, R Kellett (Scot) 69 68 76 73
-ENDS-

NEW JUNIOR DISABLED BRITISH OPEN

The first youngster to sign up for August’s inaugural Junior Disabled British Open will be a 16-year-old with cerebral palsy, for whom the event will be the culmination of a year’s lobbying.

Richard Warren, a 28-handicapper from Ascot, in Berkshire, was so enthused with last year’s Disabled British Open golf championship that he immediately contacted organisers to enquire why there wasn’t a junior event.

And the event’s organisers were so impressed with the teenager’s enthusiasm and dynamism that they worked with him to launch this year’s inaugural Junior Disabled British Open.

Warren has been playing golf for eight years after his mother thought the game might prove physically beneficial.

He said: “I have a real passion for golf despite the cerebral palsy which affects all of my limbs. I first started playing at the age of eight when my mother thought it might be a good way of improving my hand-eye coordination.

“Although I was initially apprehensive when she took me to have an introductory lesson at the local driving range, from that moment on I was well and truly hooked on the sport.”

In 2005 Mill Ride GC, in Ascot, launched a competition among local schools to offer three junior golf scholarships. The determined Warren applied and, following an interview and golf assessment, proved successful in attaining one of the three places on offer.

He continued: “I am extremely grateful to Mill Ride GC as the scholarship not only improved my game but also boosted my confidence. I am now quite well known around the club and have been supported throughout by many members and, in particular, the staff.

“My only frustration with golf is that the nature of my disability is such that each golfing day is different. One day my game can be exceptionally good; on another extremely bad – however, this has never taken away from the enjoyment.

“What became apparent to me over a number of years was that there were seemingly very few junior disabled golfers, either male or female. And that motivated me to explore opportunities to bring young disabled golfers together so they can play and be inspired by their peer group.”

It was this determination – and a series of meetings with event organiser Andy Barwell – that led to the launch of the Junior Disabled British Open and, moreover, Warren’s participation in it.

“While taking part in various events I have met with some high-profile golfers, including Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie, who have expressed a keen interest in my endeavours,” added Warren.

“With the possibility of golf entering the Paralympics in the future I feel it is the right time to introduce disabled junior golf into the public domain and to encourage more disabled young people to enjoy the sport.

“Through the development of the first Junior Disabled British Open, I hope to inspire and encourage other young disabled juniors to pursue their passion and realise their potential.”

The event, for disabled youngsters aged between 12 and 18, will run alongside the third annual Disabled British Open at East Sussex National Golf Resort & Spa, from August 20-21 – the largest and most inclusive tournament in the country for disabled golfers. And Barwell, a director of organiser the Azalea Group, said enormous credit should go to the teenager for helping to get the event off the ground.

He said: “Richard is an inspirational young man. He’s very driven and determined and is destined for great things I’m sure. If at 16 he can persuade us that there is a need for a Junior Disabled British Open I’m sure he can be even more influential as he gets older.

“When we first met he stated his case convincingly and backed it up with facts and figures. I can’t imagine another occasion when a company would join with a 16-year-old to launch a new product. That’s testament to him as an individual and should prove a huge fillip to young people with disabilities.”

The senior event has received Government backing from both the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Jeremy Hunt MP, and the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP, who praised it for its inclusivity and legacy.

Hunt said: “The Disabled British Open golf championship is a fantastic example of how Britain can stage a world-class event for disabled athletes competing at the highest level. As a nation we should be very proud of the awareness this event has created, and the legacy of opportunities within sport for disabled people.”

And his parliamentary colleague added: “To hear that the Disabled British Open golf championships has encouraged disabled people to start playing golf for the first time is a wonderful achievement – and testament to the spirit of the competitors and will of the organisers.”

The 2010 event – the first to be played at the current venue – attracted a full field of 72 disabled athletes, with ages ranging from 16-71, from as far afield as South Africa, Pakistan, Spain, Ireland and Germany, in addition to a strong UK contingent.

The Sky Sports-broadcast event is delivered through Tourism South East as one of the projects of the Accentuate programme, which is funded by SEEDA and Legacy Trust UK – an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – and set up as part of the south-east’s drive to create a cultural shift in the way disabled people are perceived by celebrating excellence and showcasing talent.

John Williams, chairman of Tourism South East, said: “The Disabled British Open is one of many excellent projects we have delivered over the past few years. It has a burgeoning reputation and seems likely to go from strength to strength. We wish it continued success.”

The 2011 Disabled British Open and Junior Disabled British Open take place on August 20-21. A range of bespoke sponsorship and partnership packages for both events can be made available including title and headline sponsorship.

Entries will open in April. For further information contact championship organiser Andy Barwell on 07961 315520 or visit www.disabledbritishopen.org

ENDS

Information for journalists.

Press release written and distributed by the Azalea Group.

In these difficult financial times – is this going to encourage more women to enter or even become golfers.

Laurie Canter English has happened in the winners of the Men’s International Spain, Copa Rey 2011, his compatriot Matthew Haines, who won last year after winning the grand finale to another Englishman, Stiggy Hodgson, an incontestable 11 / 10 in El Prat (Barcelona).

In the final, contested over 36 holes, Laurie Canter showed their supremacy in the first round. Having completed the first 18 holes enjoyed a solid income (9 up) that allowed him to enjoy the second round at the expense of a Stiggy Hodgson not offered the same repertoire of good shots in previous days.

With its victory, Laurie Canter have a place as an amateur in the Open of Spain next to be played on the same route of El Prat.

Like last year, two English players played the final in the semifinals after Laurie Canter won with some comfort to Frenchman Arnaud Abbas (6 / 4) and Stiggy Hodgson would do the same with the Dutchman Robin Kind (3 / 2).

At that point in the tournament table and had dispensed with the two Spanish who had passed the first two rounds, Adrian and Adrian Otaegui Arnaus. In the quarterfinals, the first had a very hard match he lost to Laurie Canter himself at 16 3 / 2. For its part, Adria Arnaus fell in the same turn to Robin Kind, which settled the match with a large 12-meter putt on 16.

Arnaus Adria Adrian Otaegui and Spanish were the only who passed the first two rounds. Antonio Hortal, David Morago, Juan Francisco Sarasti, Carlos Pigem, Xabier Errea, Pep Angles and Alberto Fernandez fell in the first round, while Pastor Marcos did in the second.

The first phase of the competition ended with good news for Spanish interests, as ten local players agreed to play table after overcoming the first two hard days and Stroke Play. At this stage, French Gary Stahl was the only one able to match the high performance of Antonio Hortal and local golfer David Morago, all authors of 143 strokes (1 under par).

Cups of Their Majesties the King and Queen were created in 1911-the Earl of Chimera and Ellen Powers were the first champions, “but not played between 1936 and 1940 because of the Civil War. Except for the National Cup Puerta de Hierro, are the tests most veteran amateur Spanish calendar, which gives it an added prestige that goes unnoticed by foreign participants.

FINAL RESULT
Laurie Canter (ENG) beats Stiggy Hodgson (ENG) 11/10

The R and A announce an increase in prize money for some of the riches sportsmen in the world?

There is clearly no recession when it comes to the Open.

6 July 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:  The R&A has announced the prize fund for this year’s Open Championship.  The 2010 prize fund will be £4.8 million of which the Champion will receive £850,000. This represents a substantial increase in the total prize fund which had remained at £4.2 million for the last three Championships, with the Champion receiving £750,000 in each of those years.

“The Open Championship sits at the forefront of world golf and it is appropriate that our prize fund reflects that position in the game,” said The R&A’s Chief Executive, Peter Dawson.

“Over the last eighteen months we have had to take account of the Pound’s weakened position against the US Dollar and the Euro, and we have increased our prize money accordingly.”

I believe that the pound is now in good shape with the dollar.